2017 English Channel swim

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Peaks to Portland Swim 2011

On Saturday July 16, 2011 the Peaks to Portland Swim (30th Anniversary)had a record breaking number of swimmers. Nearly 300 swimmers participated and 19 swimmers were in the no-wetsuit division. All participants finished the swim. Congratulations to all swimmers. Again, the Cumerland County Portland YMCA did an exceptional job organizing this event. Almost all swimmers had a kayaker at their side for safety. Some swimmers decided not to have a kayaker but there were several boats along the course if needed. Safety is priorty with this event. Every swimmer received a beautiful "30th Anniversary" Peaks to Portland medal to wear proudly around their neck as they crossed the finish line. Also, one of the P2P organizers' Terry Swain was the designated "last" swimmer...she was smiling and looked strong as she crossed the finish line. Great job, Terry! The award ceremony recognized the top three swimmers for the non-wetsuit and wetsuit division. (The Y will be posting all swimmers' times soon). However, the remainder of the non-wetsuit competitors were ranked with the wetsuit division...hopefully next year the non-wetsuit swimmers will have their own ranking system. Also, many swimmers broke the infamous "one hour" time...congratulations to all. And a special recognition of Yoko Aoshima who participated in her very first open water swim competition...three years ago, she did not know how to swim and she took swim lessons at the Y. She had a remarkable swim. Awesome job,Yoko! It was exciting to see that many more "non-wetsuit" swimmers participated this year...water temp was 60-63 degrees. The P2P had a record number of out-of-state swimmers who planned this swim around a vacation in the great state of Maine....hope you come back next year. Also, this year East End Beach had a record number of spectators to welcome all swimmers as they reached the finish line...it was a spectacular greeting for all swimmers to experience. And finally, the P2P is not only a great swim event organized by the Y but it's a fundraiser to help with their swim programs. If you would like to make a donation, please contact the Cumberland County YMCA Portland branch. Thank you

1 comment:

Pat, it was great meeting you and you did a great job at the swim Saturday. This is Ellen Shockro, from Stonington, Maine. I had seen your channel swimming webpage. I already told my friend Lynn Kubasek about your Catalina swim in October. What date are you scheduled for? And I will see Beth Barnes when I get home - she is absolutely the best, put me in contact with some people here in Portland to try for a kayaker, but Terry at the Y came thru with a nice kayaker. I posted about the swim on dailynewsofopenwaterswimming.com today. I love your summary of the race, and it was a great experience.

Go Grandma! You can do it, if you try!

Meet Pat Gallant-Charette, a native of Maine, Westbrook resident, University of Southern Maine graduate, wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and retired nurse. In her spare time, 66 year old Pat is a marathon swimmer. In her first attempt of the English Channel, success was snatched from her grasp in July 2008. After swimming 16 hours in the Channel, with the lights in French homes encouraging her and still feeling strong, Pat fought impenetrable currents for four hours just 1.7 miles from the finish line. While Pat had made it across....and that was a dream come true...the ultimate challenge had eluded her. In 2009, prevaling winds prevented Pat from starting her second attempt of the English Channel. Pat returned to Maine determined to return to Dover for another attempt. She came late to the Gallant-Charette swimming club. Her son Tom was on the Westbrook High School swim team and her youngest brother, Robbie Gallant twice won the 2.4 mile Peaks to Portland swim. Robbie, just 34 years old, was a loving husband, and devoted father to three year old Christopher when he suffered a fatal heart attack eighteen years ago. Soon after Robbie's untimely death, Pat's son Tom said, "Ma, I'd like to swim the Peaks to Portland as a tribute to Uncle Robbie." Pat replied, "Tom, that's so sweet, I wish I could do the same." Looking at her encouragingly, Tom said, "You can, if you try." Those words inspired Pat to swim Peaks. At the age of 46 her fitness regime had consisted mainly of walking, but with a regular workout schedule at the local pool, Pat gradually built up her endurance. She met the qualifying requirement for the Peaks to Portland swim the following year. You can only imagine her emotion on finding her young nephew Christopher waiting for her at the end of that swim. Pat continues to enter the Peaks to Portland every year and Christopher, now a young man, cheers her on. That success encouraged her to seek other goals, including a double crossing of Maine's Big Sebago Lake (12 miles), the Great Chesapeake Bay swim (4.4 miles) and the Strait of Gibraltar swim (9 miles), where stroke by stroke Pat repeated her mantra, "You can, if you try". Then on June 16, 2010 Pat swam across the Strait of Gibraltar (Spain to Africa) in a time of 3 hours and 28 minutes. And much to her surprise, she placed 3rd fastest woman's time since 1928, set the U.S.Woman's record for fastest time, and the new record for the fastest time for any woman or man over the age of 50 worldwide. Pat nurtured the belief that she is capable of swimming the English Channel, considered by many to be the greatest test of a long distance swimmer. While nominally 20.7 miles, strong tides and currents in the Channel make the real distance covered by swimmers 30 miles or more. On August 22, 2011 Pat entered the English Channel determined to reach France. With her crew of brother David, sister-in-law Jeannie, and nephews' Kyle and Chris (Robbie's son), she reached her dream in a time of 15 hours and 57 minutes. Pat set the oldest American woman's record at the age of 60. The English Channel Swimming Association awarded her with the "Rosemary George Award for the 'Most Meritorious Swim of the Year' for 2011." Then, on October 18, 2011 Pat at the age of 60 set a new World Record for the Oldest Woman to swim from Catalina Island to the mainland of California ( 21 mile swim). She was accompanied by her crew: brother Bill and sister-in-law Jean. Her swim was dedicated to her brother Johnny who died at the age of seventeen in a tragic accident. Pat has written a children's book called, "Catalina...Oh, my! An Adventure Story." She is currently looking for a publisher for her completed 32 page picture book. Pat founded "Valentine's Day...Swim for your Heart." a global swim event to bring an awareness of heart disease and prevention. http://swimforyourheartfeb14.com She encourages swimmers worldwide to participate in thought and action by swimming on February 14. Swimmers donate to their favorite heart charity or program. In 2011 the "Daily News of Open Water Swimming" announced the nominees for the "World Open Water Swimmer, Woman of the Year" award. Pat at the age of 60 was nominated for this award. Then in 2012 at the age of 61, she was nominated for World Open Water Swimmer, Woman of the Year" award. Also, in 2012 and 2013 she was selected as one of 101 women worldwide as "101 Movers and Shakers" in the world of open water swimming.....known as "open water ambassadors, spreading their enthusiasm and passion for the sport. ". In 2016 at the age of 65, she was nominated for World Open Water Swimmer, Woman of the Year and nominated for Global Marathon Swimmers Federation Solo Swim of the Year for her record setting North Channel swim. Pat was inducted into the Maine Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame on April 12, 2014.

Pat announced that she will attempt to swim the Oceans Seven Challenge. On September 13, 2012 she completed Japan's Tsugaru Strait (her fourth swim of the challenge) in a time of 19 hours and 36 minutes (33 miles) and set a world record for the oldest person to swim Tsugaru Strait. In August 2013 Pat attempted to swim the North Channel between Ireland and Scotland. After swimming for 16 hours and 43 minutes and less than one mile from the finish line, the tidal flow changed directions and prevented Pat from completing her swim. On January 24, 2014 Pat attempted to swim Cook Strait in New Zealand. Mother Nature provided very strong tidal flows preventing her from reaching the finish line after several hours of swimming. In July of 2015, Pat returned home from Ireland after waiting two weeks for an opportunity to swim the North Channel. Mother Nature provided unsettled weather and a swim was not permitted. On August 24, 2016 Pat attempted a solo crossing of the North Channel with boat pilot Quinton Nelson, crew members Tom Charette and Fergal Somerville. The North Channel is regarded as one of the most challenging swims in the world with its prolific blooms of jellyfish, cold water temperatures, and unforgiving strong currents. She was successful in a time of 14 hours and 22 minutes. At the age of 65 years and 204 days, she set a world record for the oldest woman to swim the most challenging channel swim in the world. She became the 41st person in history to complete this grueling channel. On May 20, 2017 at the age of 66 years and 107 days old, she had successful solo crossing of the Molakai Channel between the islands of Oahu and Molokai in a time of 23 hours and 54 minutes....setting a world record for oldest woman to swim Molokai Channel. She became the 52nd person in history to complete the longest challenge of the Oceans Seven. Her crew consisted of David & Jeannie Gallant and Bill & Jean Gallant. Twenty-eight days after her successful swim of Molokai channel, Pat attempted to swim the English Channel. On June 17, 2017 at the age of 66 years and 135 days she had a successful crossing of the English Channel and setting a world record for oldest woman to swim the channel. Her son Tom who encouraged her many years ago to try open water swimming was her crew.

Her final swim challenge to complete the Oceans Seven is Cook Strait in New Zealand scheduled for 2019 (waiting list nearly three years. Yikes!!!). In the meantime, pat will continue other marathon swims on her extensive bucket list of open water swims.